The political rhetoric diverts from the critical challenges and the better solutions. But it is even worse, in that a moment of thought, any “John, Dick, or Harry” can see through the masking — and I am sure Harry, Dick, John, have already. Then what? Surely we must act, but act effectively.
So, there is no intelligent sense in saying the Games will put Brisbane on the map. Brisbane, Queensland, Australia was already on the map in 1823 — “oh yes, the bicentennial of Oxley and party’s surveying of Moreton Bay and the Brisbane River.” How the state, and council, exploits the loss of memory. The Yugara, Jagera, Turrbal and Quandamooka peoples had their own mind maps, and sensibly did not build communities on flood plains and too close to low embankment. How the state, and council, exploits the loss of memory.
There is even little intelligent sense in saying that Brisbane “came of age” with the World Expo in 1988. Every significant historical marker before then was equally claimed the same: “Brisbane ‘came of age’ with the Commonwealth Games in 1982”, and “Brisbane ‘came of age’ with the Greater Brisbane Council in 1925”. “oh yes, the centennial of the Greater Brisbane Plan of 1924.” How the state, and council, exploits the loss of memory. There is a election or two happening in 2024.
“nicer” is a bland word in the communities. It usually signals a deafness to Historical Enterprises 1) Not Spoken, 2) Not Heard, 3) Not Understood. We need each to change this switch-off attitude. Never in violence, only looking each to their face and asking nicely, “Are you intelligent?”
Historical Enterprises 1) Not Spoken, 2) Not Heard, 3) Not Understood
Featured Image: ECQ Map Queensland State Election 1998
Neville Buch
Latest posts by Neville Buch (see all)
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